News

A better outlook on blue whiting – at last

All three of HB Grandi’s pelagic vessels are now at work on blue whiting grounds well south of Iceland. Lundey NS and Ingunn AK arrived on fishing grounds yesterday and Faxi RE should be ready to start fishing shortly. The weather has improved, making a change after the long period of bad weather that the trawlers have experienced recently in their last trips.

According to Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson, head of HB Grandi’s pelagic division, Lundey shot away its trawl yesterday morning and had taken 670 tonnes in two hauls by early today. Ingunn was a little later arriving on fishing grounds but has taken 700 tonnes in two hauls.

‘They are further north than last week, or about 270 nautical miles north-west of Ireland and 145 south-west of Rockall. The skippers say that fishing has been quiet in the mornings over the last few days, but has been batter later in the day. The weather forecast is reasonable, so things are looking good,’ said Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson.

So far this year HB Grandi’s vessels have between them landed 8500 tonnes of blue whiting and the company has 15,800 tonnes remaining of its quota for the year.